By the End Fuel Poverty Coalition

Millions of people across the UK are still living in cold, damp homes, with new research showing that those with existing health conditions remain far more exposed than the general population, deepening health inequalities and adding pressure to the NHS.

As energy bills remain 69% higher than in winter 2020, the latest End Fuel Poverty Coalition polling for 2025 finds that 14% of adults say they live in a cold, damp home, which remains broadly in line with 2023 and 2024 (16%). However, there are stark disparities affecting vulnerable groups.

People with health conditions are significantly more likely to say they live in cold, damp homes in 2025, with rates rising to 22% for people with lung conditions and 25% for people with mental health conditions. The figure also remains high for people with other long-term conditions such as motor neurone disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, at 24%.

Housing tenure also continues to play a major role. One in five renters in the private rented sector say they live in poor conditions.

In cold and damp homes, the presence of mould is an almost ever present issue. More broadly among the general public, the 2025 research shows that 26% of adults report mould in their homes frequently or occasionally in the last 12 months, only a slight fall from 29% in both 2023 and 2024. 

People with health conditions face elevated levels (32%), with in particular people with mental health conditions (35%), being more likely to report mould. 

With over two fifths (41%) of people still worried about being cold this winter due to the energy crisis, the findings have raised concerns among campaigners that without targeted action, avoidable housing-related illness will continue to burden the NHS, particularly during winter months.

Eilidh Weir is a mother of two who rents a home in  Buchlyvie, Scotland. She said: “There’s nothing more miserable than being skint in a cold, damp house.

“I’m a private rental tenant and I used to have storage heaters, but I didn’t use them because they were too expensive. When I found out I was eligible for an air source heat pump to be installed, completely free, I felt really, really pleased that I was able to access that without having a high wage.

“My kids notice the house is cosier now. Being able to make better choices shouldn’t be just for those that have higher incomes.”

Charlotte Higgins is retired and lives in Solihull in the West Midlands and had energy-saving measures fitted by the Solihull Household Support Fund. She said: “The loft insulation has been done, and I’ve had solar panels on the front and the back. It’s made a difference to my heating, and my bills are a lot cheaper.”

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented: “Five years into the energy bills crisis and households are still waiting for a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan which will set out how people can improve the energy efficiency of their properties and reduce their energy use in a safe way.

“Given the well-publicised failings of the previous Government’s insulation schemes, we now need to move even faster to catch up and help people stay warm every winter and cool every summer.

“Meanwhile, for many households, the research highlights the vicious cycle where cold and damp housing worsens existing health conditions, increasing energy needs and making homes harder to heat. This in turn drives further ill health and greater pressure on healthcare services.

“The data underlines the need for long-term solutions that address housing quality and energy affordability together, rather than relying on short-term crisis support, to prevent cold and damp homes becoming a permanent driver of poor health and rising public costs.”

Tom Darling, Director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “We know that private renters are more likely than other groups to be living in homes with damp or with serious health risks. It’s shocking that so many people are living in homes that put their life at risk – and totally unacceptable that many landlords are profiting from them.”

“The government must set out when they will apply Awaab’s law to the private rented sector, as they recently have for social tenants, and finally impose a legal duty on landlords to address dangerous housing conditions within a specific time frame. Every month without action will see more people harmed by unhealthy homes.”

Andrew McCracken, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Millions across the UK are living in homes that could be damaging their health. Cold, damp homes are much more likely to develop mould which can lead to life-threatening flare ups for people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cause lung conditions in previously healthy individuals. With rising fuel costs and a cost-of-living crisis, too many vulnerable people are being forced to live in unsafe conditions.

“The Government must deliver its Warm Homes Plan with a focus on sustainable heating, well-fitted insulation, and effective ventilation, so that no one has to choose between affordable heating and breathing in clean air. Poor lung health has the closest link with deprivation of all the major health conditions and the UK, shamefully, has the highest death rate in Europe for respiratory conditions. We desperately need urgent Government action to support warm homes and protect the health of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

Meanwhile bills will rise as networks upgrade

Meanwhile Ofgem have announced that there will be £28bn spent over the next five years in Britain’s gas and electricity networks, but this could rise to £90bn. 

Overall, Ofgem estimates that the net increase in bills to cover all costs by 2031 will be around £3 per month. But this could be more in the short-term, falling in the longer term. Of the initial money announced, most of the funding (£17.8bn) will go towards maintaining Britain’s ageing gas networks.

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition profits tracker estimated that over £50bn of profits have been generated by electricity and gas transmission and distribution firms since 2020.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented: “With the North Sea running out of gas and after years of under investment, upgrades to Britain’s energy grids are vital to ensure a reliable energy supply and to help homes benefit from renewables as they come online.

 “But that shouldn’t mean signing a blank cheque for network and transmission companies. These vast sums of essentially public money must come with proper scrutiny and guarantees for consumers.

 “These firms have already made billions in profits during the energy crisis, with significant returns flowing to offshore investors and so-called ‘vampire funds’.

 “Households can’t keep footing the bill while private equity profits. Every penny added to customers’ bills must be spent delivering clear value for money and actively helping to reduce the cost of energy in the long-term and ensure energy security.”